


life would have rhythm and maybe harmony

by OnceAndFloral



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: M/M, Marius Psychoanalyzes His Friends, Philosophical Debate - Freeform, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:27:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25406128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceAndFloral/pseuds/OnceAndFloral
Summary: Jonny and Marius have a spar together.
Relationships: Jonny d'Ville/Marius von Raum
Comments: 7
Kudos: 111





	life would have rhythm and maybe harmony

“Fucking hell!” Jonny yipes as the tip of Marius’ rapier scratches across the back of his hand. 

“It might work better next time if you block with your blade instead,” Marius suggests with a cocky smirk.

“There's no need to get all smug about this.”

“No, no, you're right. You're just, what, one of the self proclaimed best combatants aboard the Aurora?”

“I don't usually fight with _rapiers.”_

“And that's exactly why we're doing this. Now-” Marius raises his blade again. “-back to it.”

Instead of adopting a fighting stance, Jonny opts for a surprise attack on Marius and lunges forward, swordpoint first. It doesn't work. Marius casually steps to the side, allowing Jonny's weight to carry him forward so he almost falls flat on his face. He barely manages to recover and whips around to face the false doctor.

“I never knew you were this good with a sword before,” Jonny says as they begin to slowly circle each other.

“Oh, come now, you knew that,” Marius winks _very_ suggestively. “Besides, what baron isn't well versed in the art of fencing?”

“You're not a baron.”

“The boat of Theseus, my friend.”

“This isn't a boat.”

“Well, during our time in The City when you were off killing people, _I_ was actually studying psychology.” He punctuates the end of his sentence with a swipe at Jonny’s wrist which he barely parries. “I had a friend who tried this little thought experiment. How many pieces of something can you replace with another before it no longer is the same object?”

“Why is it called a _boat,_ The City didn't even remember boats.”

“Well, I did some workshopping on the concept myself, I thought a boat was rather evocative.” Marius makes a dramatic flourish, just to mock Jonny. “See, eventually, learning fencing, ballroom dancing, elocution and the ins and outs of politics and diplomacy, I won't be not _not_ a baron.”

Jonny sneers. “That's stupid, and it doesn't even match your metaphor. Which is pathetic, because you made it up yourself.”

“I think it does.”

He grips the hilt a bit tighter. “Well, do you know what I think?” Jonny takes a step closer to Marius, who takes a step back in return. “I think that you can replace as many little pieces as you want, but you'll never be able to replace all of them. There's always going to be a little trace or splinter of the old ‘boat’, leaving you a half formed not baron, and not a whatever you were before.”

Jonny's goal had been to subtly back Marius into a corner while distracting him, but that didn't work as Marius reaches to his belt and throws something at Jonny's feet. The glint of it in the light suggests a knife, and he quickly hops back to avoid getting his foot pinned to the ground. Half a second later he realizes it was just a pair of forceps, but that little step was all Marius needs to lash at his feet and drive him further back.

“That's cheating,” Jonny hissed. “This is a sword fight.”

“Jonny d’Ville, denouncing cheating? I never thought I'd live to see the day.” Marius slashes at his legs relentlessly, keeping Jonny consistently off balance. “I think it's bold words from you to say I'm reaching for a title I'll never have.”

“What's _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, first mate.” 

If Jonny was not so focused on staying upright, he would have attempted to drive his rapier through von Raum’s heart.

However his face changes, Marius catches it. Jonny can tell by the way one corner of his lips quirk up. “How frustrating is it that even in the absence of a captain, no one wants you as one? At least in my case I'm not trying to fill a void someone else left.”

Jonny growls. “You-”

“I'm merely returning the fire you threw at me. Don't you think it's funny that we both have this in common? That no one will let us live down the hollow lie we tell?”

Marius starts making stabs at his chest, and Jonny is so unbalanced a few of them manage to nick him. His blocks are embarrassingly sloppy.

“Tell me, Jonny, what have you done to become a captain? Have you dedicated yourself to the nuances beyond fighting and bossing people around?”

“At least I try for more than aesthetics,” Jonny growls, attempting a counterattack. Marius fluidly twists to the side to avoid it.

“Aesthetics can lead to praxis. You don't seem to care much for the theory side of things, which I suppose makes sense. Here's the thing, Jonny, I know why I want to be a baron, do you know why you want to be a captain?”

There's an odd mix of fire and ice burning in his veins. “Because it's my _rightful_ place, this is how the chain of command works! This isn't some bizarre psychology thing!”

“Isn't it? For what it's worth-” Marius hits his wrist and Jonny's rapier goes flying from his hand. With no defense, all he can do the next time Marius a jab is fall backwards onto the floor. “-I don't think you need to be a captain to be worth something.”

Jonny can't say anything, staring right at the point of Marius’ rapier. In the back of his mind he can't believe he lost a fight to Marius von Raum. “That's not-”

“Ah, ah.” Marius puts the blade under his chin and tilts Jonny's head up so their eyes meet. “Do you yield?”

Jonny grits his teeth. “Yes, I yield.”

Marius sheaths his sword after a complex flourish, and reaches down a hand to help him up. Jonny takes it, rising to his feet with a plan to yank Marius onto his face, but before that Marius bows low and presses his lips to Jonny's knuckles.

“It was an honor to duel you,” Marius says when he stands back up.

“I… Uh, it was…”

“Have I made you speechless for once in your life?” He grins. “I think my life's goals have finally been completed.”

“I'm not speechless, you just surprised me!”

“I can show you how surprising I can really be if you'd like.” 

Marius places his hands on either side of Jonny's face and rises slightly to kiss his forehead. It's gentle, soft, and it makes him just slightly dizzy. Marius makes eye contact with him.

“I meant what I said earlier, Jonny,” he says. “You don’t have to get a title to make yourself deserving of something.”

“Then what are you doing?”

Marius smiles, completely unlike his usual grin. Something without all the bluster and sunshine. “Well, that’s for me to know, now isn’t it?”

**Author's Note:**

> that's right after jonny dville and the search for meaning i've RETURNED to have more philosophical debate with these two. i just think they're neat and that there's interesting parallels beteween them.


End file.
